Ten ways to update your bathroom decor on a budget

Ten ways to update your bathroom decor on a budget

Our simple and budget-friendly bathroom decorating ideas will help you transform your space without breaking the bank

Alvis brass bathroom ladder, £120, Graham and Green

Thea Jeffreys

Published: May 5, 2021 at 11:00 pm

If you’re in need of bathroom decorating ideas on a budget, the good news is that you don’t have to plan an extensive remodel to completely transform your space.

In fact, with a few clever swaps and tricks, you can give your bathroom a completely new look - all for less than £200!

Keep reading for our budget bathroom ideas and save yourself thousands!

How to update your bathroom on a budget

Invest in a vanity unit

Vanity units are brilliant for creating extra storage without compromising on floor space.

Home makeover: 'My home décor is my favourite pastime'
Vikki's bathroom took about two weeks to complete from start to finish. The vanity unit and illuminated mirror are both from Roper Rhodes

Even compact designs are still large enough to hide all manner of mess without taking over the room. We love the on-trend brass accessories and moody blue tone featured in Vikki's bathroom makeover (pictured above).

Add window film

You can make the most of the natural light in your bathroom by getting rid of curtains and blinds - but, of course, you'll still want your privacy. Enter window film!

Home makeover: 'I've updated my period home'
Sodia carefully sourced the smallest period-look pieces for her compact family bathroom, including a basin from Victoria Plum and a roll-top bath. The travertine floor tiles are from Topps Tiles

Window film will give you the privacy of frosted or etched glass, without the cost. Many companies do bespoke designs so you can create the perfect look for your window.

Make your basin a focal point

Make a feature of your basin by choosing a show-stopping design. Concrete options in on-trend colours are all over Instagram - see an example inside Ella Russell's Instagram home here - and while they’re not always cheap, they make a big impact.

Pink bathroom sink and shower tiles
For more sink inspiration, see inside Ella Russell’s Instagram home: bathroom edition

If pastels aren't your thing, look out for patterned basins for classic, vintage style. It’s also worth checking out salvage sites and eBay for super-cheap reclaimed sinks with tons of retro charm - check out the vintage style bathroom in Laura Sawyer’s converted London flat for some inspiration.

Be smart with lighting

Cast a flattering glow over the whole room with creative bathroom lighting, such as wall sconces and LED shelf strips.

Home makeover: 'My home is my very own Hansel and Gretel cottage'
Hayley's bathroom features clever lighting tricks, which help it to feel relaxed and luxurious. ‘I also promised myself a lovely roll-top bath, where I could lie and look out at the treetops,’ says Haley.

Low lighting will make bathtime feel much more relaxing and help cut down on energy costs. Look for lighting with frosted glass or fabric shades, or change the bulbs you have to a lower wattage for a soft, warm radiance.

Seek out clever bathroom storage

Make every inch of space work harder by using clever storage solutions.

Real home: 'It was the ideal doer-upper for us'
Sophie searched out a double drawer vanity unit to maximise the hidden storage space in the small bathroom. For a similar design, see the Ronda chestnut 900mm-wide floor standing vanity unit at Victorian Plumbing

Corner caddies and angled shelving will make use of those awkward and unused spots. Don’t forget about the areas behind doors or the corners of the bath.

New knobs and knockers

If your bathroom storage works well, but you’d like to give it a bit of a facelift, replacing drawer pulls and handles will transform its look with minimum effort.

Bathroom makeover: 'Recycling allowed us to stay on budget'
Good idea! Follow Helen and make an ageing bath look new again by adding feature taps and painting the exterior in a colour to match your bathroom scheme

Match your new cupboard hardware with towel hooks for a cohesive look. Feeling inspired? See more ideas on how to freshen up your bathroom here.

Replace taps

Replace scratched or irredeemably limescaled chrome taps with black coated or low-shine options. The modern style will look fresh and you won’t need to endlessly polish them to keep them looking new.

Home makeover: 'I need a sense of calm in my home'
Laura has mixed luxury with vintage finds in the bathroom. The basin, mixer taps and shower are from Aston Matthews, while the mirror is a charity shop buy

Choose a sleek, minimalist design to stay grime-free for longer.

Cheat with tile stickers

Feature tiles play a big role in most bathrooms, so if you’ve fallen out of love with yours, replacing them can change how you feel about the whole room.

Arlo Light terrazzo tile from Porcelain superstore
Feature walls aren't just for living rooms - they can also transform your bathroom. Arlo Light, Porcelain Superstore

Replacing tiles can be a messy and expensive job, but tile stickers will quickly change the look of your tiles without breaking the bank. Stickers that mimic the look of traditional tiles are so Instagrammable and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Alternatively, you can freshen up old tiles by painting them - find out how to paint bathroom tiles.

Replace your shower head - not your shower

A new shower head can transform your morning shower from a damp dribble to a refreshing soak. Swap your old head for a new one and it will feel like you have a whole new shower for a snip of the cost of replacing the unit.

Real home inspiration: 'It took me nearly two decades, but now I finally have my dream home'
Jo was lucky that she chose a classic tile when her bathroom was first done years ago, so she didn't need to update them this time around. They perfectly complement the current trend for black bathroom furniture and accessories.

Our top tip? Look for designs with universal fittings for an easy switch.

Invest in towel storage

Towel storage is often one of the last things on our mind when it comes to transforming our bathrooms, but why spend months choosing the perfect basin and taps, sourcing the most stylish tiles and researching Pinterest for fixture inspiration, only to find that a few days into use, our dream bathroom is haphazardly strewn with damp towels?

Towel storage ideas - freestanding towel rack
Image credit: Dunelm

Although how you store your towels will have a huge impact on how your bathroom looks and feels overall, most towel storage options are extremely reasonable, so investing in some new towel storage is a must if you're looking to transform your bathroom for little cost. Whether you need towel storage for small spaces, towel storage for a family bathroom or towel storage that looks like a décor feature in itself, there’s guaranteed to be a storage solution that works for you – if you need a bit of inspiration, take a look at our roundup of the best towel storage ideas here.

Budget bathroom ideas

Painting the walls a sumptuous teal and adding a revamped vanity unit gave Gillian’s bathroom a luxury spa feel within her budget
Painting the walls a sumptuous teal and adding a revamped vanity unit gave Gillian’s bathroom a luxury spa feel within her budget
Bathroom makeover: 'Small updates made a big impact'
You can panel the walls of your bathroom yourself for little cost - simply head to your nearest DIY store and buy thin MDF boards
‘A free-standing bath from Easy Bathrooms was the perfect solution to free up space without compromising on style and luxury,’ says Laura. ‘Even though it’s compact, it’s really deep and a great place for unwinding at the end of the day’
Adding a few colourful accessories - like bright hand towels and dried flowers - will give your bathroom a completely new lease of life
‘I wanted a hotel-luxe feel in here and the gold shower frame and taps, from Lusso Stone, led to
Faux plants will give a bathroom a whole new feel for little cost
‘Our builder made the shelves that our basins sit on using the old loft struts,’ says Megan. ‘So many people compliment us on them! The gorgeous, glossy pink tiles are from Bert & May,’ Megan shares. ‘It took hours of internet trawling to find the perfect tile in the right hue, but it was so worth it for the finished effect’
If you need to update your tiles, paint them a new colour rather than replacing them - it'll save you hundreds and transform your space quickly
An earthy terracotta colour on the walls works perfectly against the blush metro tiles, which have been laid in a vertical formation rather than the usual brick- style pattern. A rimless loo from B&Q was chosen for its hygienic design, while the sink from BC Designs, mirror from Drench and taps from Crosswater all add a modern, sleek feel to the room. ‘I’m so pleased with how the bathroom has turned out,’ says Riannon. ‘I think the use of colours together makes a change to the standard white tiles and grey grout’
Using brightly coloured grout is a quick, cheap and simple way to transform the look of your bathroom tiles
Brass accessories warm up the monochrome scheme. Liz couldn’t resist the print, which bears a strong resemblance to her own bathroom
Switching up the mirror in your space will freshen it up instantly
Enlli's style advice - tile the bathroom yourself
Adding some artwork into your bathroom will give it a completely different vibe, and you can replace it quickly and easily whenever you want to refresh the space
‘The bathroom is a good size, but I wanted to make it feel more spacious, so I added the mirror and orange paint to add interest. The units were already there, and I painted the tiles. I’m really happy with them – they look like the real thing!’
If you don't have the budget to completely repaint your whole space, why not get tester pots and paint features onto the wall?
A boutique style bathroom with hexagon wall tiles
If you don't have the budget to tile a whole wall, don't fret - make a tiled feature half way up the wall
Plenty of plants and fresh white tiles create a serene look in the bathroom. Wanting to steer away from built-in furniture, Kate has used baskets for storage, as well as a vintage-look dresser and chest of drawers
Replacing your shower curtain will quickly transform the look of your space for very little money
Bathroom makeover: 'Our two rooms became one fabulous space'
Adding greenery to your space is transformative but extremely cheap - display it in quirky pots and macrame hangings

For more bathroom inspiration and advice, visit our bathroom ideas page, where you'll find more budget bathroom ideas, as well as ideas for small bathrooms and quick fixes to instantly refresh your bathroom.

Thea Jeffreys

Digital Writer

Thea Jeffreys is the Digital Writer on YourHomeStyle.uk, and is passionate about all things home décor. When she’s not scouring the internet for budget-friendly homeware finds, you’ll find her writing about the latest interior trends and handy upcycling tricks.
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